Let’s start with the most obvious, and most amusing: The 16-year-old’s lanky build and dark, flowing locks had the fans in attendance at Estadio Alfonso Lastras chanting in reference to his close resemblance to Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani, one of Paris Saint-Germain’s world-famous superstars.

But then the teenager kept their attention by showing that he can ball a little bit, too. In contrast to Cavani, Haak usually plays a holding midfielder role, but in the game’s final stages he surged forward with the ball at his feet, leading an NYCFC counterattack and cheekily nutmegging a backtracking San Luis defender before passing to one of his teammates.

Haak, who anchored the midfield for the NYCFC academy side that won the second tier of the Generation adidas Cup last year alongside other promising youngsters like Gio Reyna, is keeping busy this winter, as he jetted to Atlanta on Wednesday to rejoin his U-17 academy teammates for GA Cup action.